Method of producing detachable clevises



Oct. 12, 1943. H. G. SHAKESPEARE 2,331,806

METHOD OF PRODUCING DETACHABLE CLEVISES Filed June 25,1941

INVENTOR.

' ffezzzyakaea 6 Patented Oct. 12, 1943 'oNirso srA-rE-s imam =osi=- ies ME'RHQD 6F 'BRODUGIN'G @ETA'OHAiBLE CLEVISES Henry G. Shakespeare, Kalamazoo, Mich, .as- 'signor to Shakespeare Products Conroarxy, Kalamazoo, 'Mic'h a corporation *of Michigan Application June-2.3, 194i, Serial;No.l399,-3-34 2 -Claims.

invention relates to im orovements *in methods "of producing detachable c'levises and particularly, to that class-.otclevises illustrated and described in the-United States patent to Hathorn, No. 2989 643, granted August 10, 19-37; 1

.an .object -.of the invention being to provide a .novel method for effecting the :economical, practical and rapid production of :such =celvises.

It is also .an object of the invention to provide .a :method for production-of the hereinbefore :reierred .to type-of .clevis wherebyathe same may be effected with-a material saving aof 'labon-tirne and .costs without in any manner whatsoever, sacrificing the advantageous .-features (thereof :or detrimentally alteringconstruction and design.

In .c'levises such .as disclosed thematent to Hathorn, No. 2,089,649, .it will :be observed that the clevis per .se, .comprises :iixed and rotatable sections or halves, the .latter .being movable with relation to jtheformer to assure convenient .and quick engagement and disengagement -of econnectedpartsorelements to and from the same.

These clevis sections are nons'tructed .from sev- 'eral special sizes of steel s'tock. lliiadh suchsection requiresmany set-upsffor'the different .kinds of 'm'illingnecessary to its particular production and moreover, since "the utilized .steel stock is "preferably of stainless .c'haracter, each effected milling operation 'must necessar'ily'be followed .by a burring operation before the piece can be returnedto afixture. Inconsequerice, it will manifest-itself to workers'skilledinthe'art that'rnaterial-production costs are entailed.

Through the-teachings and practicing of my improved method, I am enabled -:to produce =clevises ofithe type referredtoirom'a single size of steel stock; to greatly lessen or reduce the number of operations-requiredior production of the clevises and hence, effect -considerable reduc tion of overall "costs. cor-dance with the improved method, moreover, are possessedof 4 characteristics and finish-equally as efficient and satisfactory as =those present in clevises of the hereinbefore indicated type.

:Other and further objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in pointed out -hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of practicing may be readily understood by those skilled inthe art to whichit appertains, Lhavegin the accompanying drawing and in "the :Eo'llowing detailed description based thereupon, set zforth one illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a top view of the connector body,

Clevises' produced in *acwith aeportion of the :shank .brolzenawfl y, formed :inionezpiece, andbefore beingtdivided.

:Eigure .2 is :a top view {of the iconnector aite being divided :or :saw aout, *ShOWiI1gthe clevis :pin :and the :locking asleeve in operative :position ,un- :der aurge of the :compression spring, said :sleeve .beingshowntin section.

Figure Brisa detail in perspective ofzthe spacer element which is ;-positioned :between adjacent iportions of the divided parts of the -clevis rand :shank :to compensate fOI body area reduction; :and

Figured is a ;perspective view "Cf aclevis 1131:0- duced accordance :with the improved method, :showing the -:movable iclevis in open position .and also, :havi-n gtheeopposite end of the shank body broken away beyond the compression springer:- i aiged :shoulder thereon.

.I-Iaving more ;particular :reference to the H draw- .ing in connection-"with whichlike characters -;of

.-reference will designate corresponding -parts throughout, :in the practicing of my improved anethod, alfrrstproducaa connector-body I, oftenitimes whollycharacterized as .a clevis, The conmeotor body :I consists of a cross-sectionally circular shank 2 .of appropriate length (and diameter. aasubstantially =U--shaped piece or clev'is 3 fiSriI-LBQEI'fil withior fixedlycarried upononeend-of ithe shank 2, andas will be noted, has-a marginal- .ly opening.pooketorrecess i formed in proximity :to the ifreeend ofioneof its sides.

-On the remaining-lend of the shank 2, :1 ,proslide an annular shoulder 75, the purpose of which .will be hereinafter more iully idescribed. Suit- :able connecting .--means, i-f -i'agmentarily shown and indicated by :the numeral 6, is attached to 13116 shouldered end of .the shank 4'2 and as will be understood, ,provides tor the --;connecting :of the devioeitona-bles,=wirespetc. V

The connector --body I, above described, is produced from .asolid piece .of stock. In the illustrated form, it has been :finished as regards all initial production .milling and drilling operations.

The connector body :in the .form illustrated .jnjfiljgure iis nowsubjectedto adina] production separation, to-wit, the :basal ;portion ;0f the clevis .3 and a portionaof -.the:shank 2 care longitudinally out by engaging a :slitting saw therewith. This ilongitudinal 18111, in the :shank :2 extends .ior an appropriate. "distance ithereinto, whereupon .a

transverse saw cut effected. in and through one :side :of theshank :2 :to the inner rend of the longi- :tudinal slit. By reason-10f the described character of cutting or slitting of the clevis 3 and the shank 2, it will be seen that two clevis halves, substantially symmetrically similar in shape are produced. The one clevis half, i. e., that half designated for convenience by the numeral 1, remains integral with the major or body portion of the shank 2, while the remaining clevis half, indicated for convenience by the numeral 8 is provided with a comparatively short shank section 9, substantially symmetrically similar to the adjacent portion of the shank body 2. The clevis half 8, with its shorter shank section 9, is arranged in juxtaposed relation to the clevis half 1 and the shank body 2; shank section 9, ob-

viously, having nesting-like reception in the cutaway portion of the latter. To compensate for the body area reduction of the shank 2, caused by the described longitudinal saw slitting operation, I provide a spacer element H], of size and shape approximately corresponding to that of the cut-away portion surface of the clevis half I, and its shank body 2. The thickness of the spacer element I corresponds to the thickness of the slitting saw used in the longitudinal slitting operation. In consequence, it is obvious that said spacer element will compensate for the thus effected body area reduction, causing the overall dimensions of the halved clevis 3 and the shank 2 to correspond to their original size and shape.

Following the above set forth operations and assembly of the clevis halves l and 8 and their respective shank portions 2 and 9, a pivot pin II is transversely engaged through an intermediate part of the cut-away portion of the shank 2 and an adjacent portion of the shorter shank section 9, thus, it will be seen that the clevis half 8 is movable or pivotal with respect to the fixed clevis half I, i. e., that clevis half upon the correspond ing end of the shank 2.

In order that the clevis 3 may be connected to various devices, such for example as cables, wires, etc., a cylindrical pin [2 is disposed transversely of the outer portions of the opposite sides of the same, i. e., the clevis halves l and 8. The pin, at one end, has fixed mounting in the clevis half 1, while its opposite end portion is adapted to be engaged in the pocket 4 of the clevis half 8, particularly when this clevis half is swung or moved into parallelism or substantial parallelism to the clevis half I. Thus, it will be understood that the ends (looped or otherwise prepared) of cables, wires, etc., may be engaged over the intermediate portion of the pin I2. Obviously, by reason of the pivotal mounting of the clevis half 8, the same may be swung to a position completely disengaged from the pin I2, thereby allowr ing the clevis to be conveniently and quickly detached from a connected element or vice versaand by the same token, as conveniently and quickly attached to such element.

The clevis halves I and 8 are adapted to be interconnected when in their operative or relatively parallel relationship in order to give security to an effected connection. This is accomplished by slidably mounting a locking sleeve l3 on the shank body 2 and arranging a compression spring I4 between said sleeve and the hereinbefore described annular shoulder on that end of the shank 2 opposite the clevis 3. Accord ingly, it will be understood that the locking sleeve l3, under urge of the compression spring [4, will be moved over the cut-away portion of the shank 2 and the shorter shank 9, as illustrated in the Figure 2. Because of the snug engagement of said locking sleeve l3 over the just referred to portions, the shorter shank 9 will be secured against pivotal movement with respect to the shank 2 and in consequence, the movable or pivotal clevis half 8 will be retained in engagement (through its pocket 4) with the adjacent end of the pin l2. To open the clevis for detaching purposes, it is only necessary that the s ring pressed locking sleeve l3 be slid in a diregtion away from the clevis 3, completely exposin the shorter shank section 9 so that it may be pivotally moved.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a novel and highly meritorious method of the production of clevises of the described type or types. The described method of production is such as to efiect a material differential in the cost of manufacturing the construction of clevis herein shown and the construction of a clevis such as illustrated and described in the hereinbefore identified patent to Hathorn. Moreover. and equally important, the method permits of materially shorter productiongtimes or periods. Consequently, by the practicing of this improved method, materially greater production of clevises may be effected. The construction of clevises produced in accordance with the improved method is such that none of the advantageous features thereof are lost or sacrificed. A clevis constructed according to the teachings of the improved method is equally durable, eificient and strong as those forms of clevises manufactured from at least two special sizes of steel stock which must be individually machined, drilled and finished.

Whereas I have herein shown and described the shank 2 carrying but a single clevis on one of its ends, it will be understood, of course, that clevises constructed according to my invention may be, if conditions or preference so dictate, arranged on each end of the shank body 2.

I claim:

1. A method for producing detachable clevises, consisting of providing a clevis body including a substantially U-shaped outwardly opening portion and a longitudinally disposed shank integral with the inner and basal portion of said U- shaped portion; longitudinally cutting the basal portion of the U-shaped portion and a portion of said integral shank by a single cutting operation, transversely cutting one side of the longitudinally cut shank to meet the outer end of the longitudinal cut in said shank, and pivotally interconnecting said U-shaped portion and shank in juxtaposed relation.

A method for producing detachable clevises, consisting of providing a clevis body including a substantially U-shaped outwardly opening portion and a longitudinally disposed shank integral with the inner and basal portion of said 'U- shaped portion, longitudinally cutting the basal portion of the U-shaped portion and a portion of said integral shank by a single cutting operation, transversely cutting one side of the longitudinally cut shank to meet the outer end of he longitudinal cut in said shank, positioning a spacer element of predetermined thickness between the longitudinally cut basal and shank portions to compensate for the body area reduction thereof, and pivotally interconnecting said U-shaped portion and shank in juxtaposed relation.

HENRY G. SHAKESPEARE. 

